So, you think you got a prescription, but it’s a placebo? Maybe the Ambien is working and you’re forcing yourself to stay awake, and becoming paranoid. It’s not legal to give out a placebo like that, at a pharmacy. Did you get the pills from a legitamate doctor?

I’m with casheroo and teirem1 – legitimate doctors and pharmacists don’t dole out placebos. It is far more likely that something else is going on and you should be talking to your doctor about it, not adjusting your own dose. There is a reason why you need to get a prescription for these drugs. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist (drug reactions/interactions/contraindications are their expertise after all) about what you are experiencing asap.

Any medication to help you sleep will work better if you take it and then get in to bed, turn the lights off and try to go to sleep. If you are sat at the computer wide awake and thinking that you are just going to fall asleep where you stand then I think you might be a bit disappointed.

I see that this is an old question, @john65pennington , but I just wanted to respond in case other insomniacs were wondering about a better solution. I, too, was prescribed Ambien…for (I think) 2 days and I pretty much was nuts on it. Walked in my sleep, horrible nightmares, couldn’t wake up, etc, etc.

Like your wife, when I called my doctor and told him I wasn’t going to take Ambien ever again, he immediately switched me to Lunesta and it was wonderful! Sleep for 8 hours, no “hangover” or walking around in a daze the next day.